Refugee and Migrant Justice

Refugee and Migrant Justice debated in parliament – RMJ response

admin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:24:06 +0000

This morning an urgent question lodged in the House of Commons about RMJ which led to a debate on RMJ’s current situation. Follow this link to read the response from Caroline Slocock, RMJ chief executive.

To read our other media releases or contact our media team, please click here.

Administration – latest news

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:55:12 +0000

A detailed briefing on RMJ’s administration is now available for download here.

The administrators had a meeting with the Legal Services Commission at 12.00 on June 16.

The Legal Services Commission confirmed that the Minister’s decision was final and that, despite any short term cost to them, there would be no change to the current funding arrangements.

They were asked to help the organisation with rents so that it could have more time to close files down and help clients find new representatives but this was declined.

The administration papers will be filed in court this afternoon.

Refugee and Migrant Justice goes into administration

admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:57:18 +0000

The Trustees of Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ) today signed papers to place the charity into administration as a result of a cash flow problem created by late payment of legal aid by the Legal Services Commission. The administrators, BDO, will then assume responsible for managing the business.

To read the media release in full click here, or to contact our media team click here.

Early Day Motion to save RMJ

admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:48:09 +0000

An Early Day Motion (EDM) has been tabled in support of Refugee and Migrant Justice by Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion.

EDM 191, which you can read here, calls for the government to pay RMJ promptly for its work to stop the charity being forced to close.

EDM 191 has support across all parties, but needs as many MPs to sign up to it in order to get the issue debated in parliament. RMJ is calling for Parliamentarians to sign the EDM, and for anyone who has already written to their MP about the Save RMJ Campaign to contact them again asking them to sign EDM 191, if they have not already done so. You can download a template letter to your MP here, and you can find out who your MP is here.

Many, many thanks for your support.

Justice at Risk: quality and value for money in asylum legal aid

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:45:05 +0000

This morning RMJ published a new report, part of a research project looking at the costs of providing quality legal representation.

Justice at Risk outlines new findings that show the present legal aid system acts to disincentivise quality. This report draws together original research, including interviews with stakeholders and refugees, a preliminary analysis of a file review exercise, together with a review of existing evidence.

To read the report click here. To read the media release about the report click here, or follow this link to see our other media releases or contact the press team. To see recent coverage of RMJ in the press, click here.

Afghanistan reintegration centre ‘will put safety and welfare of children at risk’

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 11:44:39 +0000

Caroline Slocock, Chief Executive of Refugee and Migrant Justice said: “The Government cannot even guarantee a proper reception for these children in the UK, let alone in Kabul…”

To read the release in full and to contact our media team click here. To see some of RMJ’s recent media coverage, click here.

New Statesman: Why Refugee and Migrant Justice must not be allowed to fail

admin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:32:35 +0000

Daniel Trilling writes:

When a bank is on the verge of collapse, financiers and politicians are apt to rally round, saying it is “too big to fail”. The leading UK charity Refugee and Migrant Justice, which is under threat of closure, may not command such attention, but to the thousands of asylum seekers it supports each year, it is an essential lifeline…

Read the article in full here

Contact RMJ’s press team, read our media releases and view our other recent coverage here

Amnesty, Liberty and Barnardo’s join human rights and faith leaders in fight to save Refugee and Migrant Justice

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 11:17:19 +0000

Leaders of charities including Amnesty International, Liberty, and Barnardo’s have joined faith leaders and senior legal and human rights experts in an appeal to save Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ) from closure.

In an open letter to the Justice and Home Secretaries, they have warned that thousands of vulnerable people will be left without legal help unless RMJ is paid promptly for the legal work it has done.

Read the press release in full here, Read RMJ’s recent press releases and contact our media team here, or click here to see our recent media coverage.

Save Refugee and Migrant Justice or face asylum chaos, Ministers warned

admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 13:49:45 +0000

Victims of trafficking and 900 unaccompanied children will be among the 10,000 vulnerable people who will be left without legal representation unless the UK’s leading asylum legal charity is saved from closure.

Later this week a host of leading figures will join a campaign to save Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ), the UK’s leading specialist provider of free legal advice and representation to asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants.

Read the press release in full here

Read RMJ’s recent press releases here, or click here to see our recent media coverage.

For more information, please see our media pages or contact us.

RMJ opinion piece in Guardian.co.uk: “It’s time for the UK Border Agency, which is so rigorous in applying the law to others, to apply the law to itself.”

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 14:21:55 +0000

RMJ chief executive Caroline Slocock urges the UK Border Agency to take immediate action to ensure all children currently detained are held only in strict accordance with official government policy, and UK and international law.

Read the article in full here

Read RMJs recent press releases here or click here to see our recent media coverage